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| < Brothers and Sisters in Arms ~ Great Sci-fi Stories |
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Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:22 am
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Joined: 31 Dec 2008
Posts: 368
Location: Waukesha, WI
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| crash426mnb wrote: |
| for "mouth" i looked into it mostly for two reasons, the title is interesting and the fact they made a game out of it. i read over a brief synopse of it and watched some one play through most of the game online. (i have lots of free time people ok) and i came to the conclusion i want to read this book. it seemed interesting enough and something i could get into. but when i went to my two bookstores i couldnt find a copy , i couldnt even find anything by this author and i even asked for help. |
You're welcome.
A few more quick recommendations:
Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness is an interesting read. While not LeGuin's best, it's my favorite of hers, and is worth noting for being one of the first feminist pieces of sci-fi lit out there, in a field mostly dominated by men.
...Okay, I know I'm gonna catch at least some flak for this one, but most of the books in the Black Library aren't that bad. They're similar to the Star Wars books. There are some that are great, a bunch that are decent, and a few that aren't that good, but for the most part they're solid. What really separates these books out is the incredibly rich setting they take place in. Warhammer 40K is about 40% about playing the game, probably even less. Enthusiasts are all about the setting, the story, and in regard to the game, creating and modifying their units so as to best fit into their favorite part of the universe. It's a very, very rich setting, with what must be over 100 novels. The best, IMO, are the ones that focus on the Horus Heresy. While I tried the game a few times, found it okay, I've definitely stuck for the setting. I love it.
Also, how has this thread gone on for more than 1 page and had no mention of Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land? Or, more importantly, no mention of Heinlein at all?! The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, The Number of the Beast, Starship Troopers, all solid. And in fact, Stranger in a Strange Land is probably one of the best sci-fi books ever written. Yeah, there's all this controversy surrounding Starship Troopers, but above and beyond all of that, it's just a darn good read. Think about the themes afterward, the allegations of fascism and the very pro-military themes, then think about this: James Cameron made that books required reading for all the actors playing marines in Aliens, and that's one of the most awesome sci-fi/horror movies ever made (even if it does end up being anti-military and anti-big-business in the end) On the whole, i think it balances out. And it's just so darn fun. |
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The Slithery-dee, he crawled out of the sea; He ate all the others, but he didn't eat me. |
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| Posted:
Wed Jul 21, 2010 8:27 am
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Joined: 30 Sep 2008
Posts: 936
Location: Inner workings of a war torn city.
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well thank you indeed. it was interesting, and so short im glad i didnt spend ten bucks on it.  |
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Wed Jul 21, 2010 4:08 pm
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Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 255
Location: Portland, OR
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| SlitheryDee wrote: |
Also, how has this thread gone on for more than 1 page and had no mention of Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land? Or, more importantly, no mention of Heinlein at all?! The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, The Number of the Beast, Starship Troopers, all solid. |
Word of warning: don't make the mistake I did and start with Number of the Beast. It crosses over extensively with several of Heinlein's other works, and if you're not familiar with those, much of Beast will fall flat.
In general, I like Heinlein's stories better than their execution. He's got the Piers Anthony / Anne McCaffrey thing going where all his books feel uncomfortably like windows into his personal kinks. |
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| Posted:
Thu Jul 22, 2010 6:37 am
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Joined: 31 Dec 2008
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Location: Waukesha, WI
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| Rae Beta wrote: |
| In general, I like Heinlein's stories better than their execution. He's got the Piers Anthony / Anne McCaffrey thing going where all his books feel uncomfortably like windows into his personal kinks. |
Don't forget to include Orson Scott Card in that list. I mean, has anyone else read Wyrms? Creepy as all get-out. |
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The Slithery-dee, he crawled out of the sea; He ate all the others, but he didn't eat me. |
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| Posted:
Thu Jul 22, 2010 4:32 pm
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Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 255
Location: Portland, OR
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| SlitheryDee wrote: |
| Rae Beta wrote: |
| In general, I like Heinlein's stories better than their execution. He's got the Piers Anthony / Anne McCaffrey thing going where all his books feel uncomfortably like windows into his personal kinks. |
Don't forget to include Orson Scott Card in that list. I mean, has anyone else read Wyrms? Creepy as all get-out. |
I haven't; thanks for the warning! The main real-life seep I'd noticed in his other stuff was religious, but he'd kept a decent handle on that until the last few years.
*sigh*
The first time I met Card he talked for about half an hour about how fiction isn't an okay platform for proselytizing. Watching him go off the deep end is equal parts infuriating and sad. |
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Fri Jul 23, 2010 11:31 am
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Joined: 10 Sep 2009
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Location: Rosburg, WA/ Astoria, OR
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If you can find a copy I seriously recommend "The Stars My Destination" by Alfred Bester. There is a copy of the text available here
BUT
I checked it out, and it is seriously lacking in one respect.
Not only is it a great story (and seriously classic 50's sci-fi) but printed copies contain some brilliant typography when a character suffers trauma resulting in synesthesia. The website attempts, and manages fairly well considering, to reproduce that portion of text, but lack the more intricate portions.
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"... and then BOOM! Headshot, Bright lights exploding behind my eyes, pain in the brain. Then you came to avenge our deaths! And you were played by Angelina Jolie!" |
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Sat Jul 24, 2010 12:31 am
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Joined: 24 Jul 2010
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I can make some suggestions.
Accelerando - This is great fun, but more than that it's THE book to read if you think strong AI will make the world a great place.
Down and Out in the Magical Kingdom - Also very high-tech speculative fiction about how the future could really be given certain not unlikely trends. |
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By any memes necessary. |
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Sat Jul 24, 2010 6:55 pm
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Joined: 24 Jul 2010
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Oh yeah, and even though I consider WH40K to be more fantasy than sci-fi*, anything to do with the Inquisition is bound to be readable, if a bit overwrought. Eisenhorn in particular has a lot of merit.
*I'm a fan of "hard" sci-fi, where everything that happens is possible as far as we can speculate. E.g. no faster than light speed travel, no violations of thermodynamics, et cetera, author implements an understanding of the limits of technology, perhaps even does calculations to determine reasonable technological feats. Megaman can be pretty soft as sci-fi goes, given plasma weapons and teleportation and what have you, but I still like it. |
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By any memes necessary. |
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Sun Jul 25, 2010 4:17 am
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Joined: 24 Jul 2010
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More:
Transmetropolitan: A bad future for bad people. Comic.
Doktor Sleepless: Similar, with a focus on abnormal psychology.
And beyond sci-fi, Warren Ellis is just a great comic writer. |
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By any memes necessary. |
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Sun Jul 25, 2010 6:29 pm
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Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 255
Location: Portland, OR
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| Sigmatic wrote: |
And beyond sci-fi, Warren Ellis is just a great comic writer. |
Global Frequency. Yesssssss. And Ocean. And Nextwave, which is not really sci-fi but is too great not to mention.
'sfunny--I'm so used to thinking of
(This is my home turf, so if I start blathering, please tell me to STFU.)
Other amazing sci-fi comics:
The Incal
Y: The Last Man
The Invisibles (and, technically, The Filth, although that goes so far into Grant-Morrison-channels-William-S.-Burroughs surreal territory that I'm loathe to recommend it to anyone who cares about, say, having a discernible plot to follow.) |
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Sun Aug 01, 2010 4:00 am
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Joined: 31 Jul 2010
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Location: Hidden workshop behind seven proxies
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| The Machine Stops, published way back in 1909. |
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That was... ugh, that was the keytar solo to end all keytar solos. |
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Sun Aug 01, 2010 4:52 am
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Joined: 02 Dec 2008
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Ah, that reminds me!
The Asimov story 'The Dead Past'. One of the best ones I've ever read! |
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"Until you find a new Thundercon...the fans will be your home." --Me, to Panther |
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| Posted:
Tue Aug 03, 2010 8:36 am
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Joined: 10 Sep 2009
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Location: Rosburg, WA/ Astoria, OR
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That. Just read. Mind blown. |
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"... and then BOOM! Headshot, Bright lights exploding behind my eyes, pain in the brain. Then you came to avenge our deaths! And you were played by Angelina Jolie!" |
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| Posted:
Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:46 pm
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Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 255
Location: Portland, OR
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| Erie_Kazamura wrote: |
That. Just read. Mind blown. |
Ditto.
A century old; "prophetic" doesn't quite even sum it up. First bit in particular. Wow. |
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| Posted:
Thu Aug 05, 2010 2:45 am
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Joined: 29 Mar 2009
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Location: Unknown
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I have been reading this book while doing prefab work in a wear house this summer. It has me SERIOUSLY wanting to create robots. I chuckled at the fact that I would become Dr. Kleitz. (Pronounced K-Lights). Funny. I've often wondered if I would run into someone who name is along the lines of Herbert Bily. |
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